New Delhi: Amidst the push of the government to get out the disqualified beneficiaries under the free ration scheme, the Poor Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), the Ministry of Food will review the progress of the states at the State Food Secretaries meeting on Monday, where the purchase target of initial paddy will also be finalized.Sources said that states like Odisha and Rajasthan have made good progress as they had taken the initiative before being written to the states for an intensive campaign. Toi has learned that while Rajasthan has removed about 28 lakh disqualified beneficiaries by launching the “voluntary Give up” initiative, Odisha has weed about seven lakh beneficiaries who have passed away or had high income.In July, the Food Ministry wrote to all states to “re-verify” the beneficiaries of 80 million-ropes, which receive 5 kg monthly of each rice or wheat and add new beneficiaries under PMGKAY. Officials said that since the original beneficiary lists were prepared by the states for more than a decade, there is a need to rebuild people’s eligibility.The Ministry performed a ‘comprehensive practice’ to strengthen the correct targeting of free foodgrain distribution by matching the database of the Central Board of Direct Tax database, indirect taxes and customs, ministry of Road Transport and Highways and PM Kiswe Saman N.About 10%of existing 80 million beneficiaries under PMGKAY, after inter-minister data convergence, “who appear in one or more of the databases and cannot qualify according to the eligibility criteria set by the concerned states”.The Center has said that the state can add new beneficiaries after taking out unqualified people. A source said, “There will be no shortage in the overall number. Its purpose is to ensure that people get benefits to the government.”
